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3 dead, scores hurt in Bangladesh violence

Enlarge ImageRequest to buy this photoAP photoBangladeshi police officers try to douse the flames on a motorcycle allegedly ignited by opposition activists during a general strike in Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

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By Julhas AlamAssociated Press • Tuesday October 29, 2013 11:18 AM

DHAKA, Bangladesh -- Three people died and scores of others were injured as violence raged
across Bangladesh today, the last day of a three-day strike called by opposition activists to
pressure the prime minister to resign.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the country's main business
body, expressed concern over the violence, in which at least 18 people have died since the weekend,
and urged the government and opposition to resolve their differences through dialogue.

Police opened fire today on government and opposition supporters as they clashed in the
southwestern district of Magura, killing an opposition backer, the Daily Star newspaper and TV
stations reported.

Later in the day, two supporters of the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party died when police
fired at them in Kutubdia in the southern coastal district of Cox's Bazar, local government
administrator Ruhul Amin said.

Amin said the opposition supporters attacked police, who then retaliated.

Homemade bombs exploded in several parts of the country, including the capital, where a
police official was hurt, said Sheikh Maruf Hasan, a Dhaka Metropolitan Police official.

Scores more have been injured across the country since Sunday, when the decades-old rivalry
between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia flared anew as the
nationwide strike closed down businesses and roads, and government opponents clashed with police
and ruling party supporters.

Hasina called Zia on Saturday to appeal to her not to enforce the planned strike. It was
believed to be the first time the political rivals have had a conversation in at least a decade.

Despite the rare appeal, Zia refused to call off the strike, which was due to end today.

Zia wants to force Hasina's government to quit so a caretaker administration can oversee an
election scheduled to be held by early next year.

The opposition says the government is not capable of holding a credible vote and has
threatened to boycott the election unless a caretaker government is appointed from outside the main
political parties.

Hasina has proposed forming a caretaker government from the ruling and opposition parties to
supervise the vote.

Bangladesh, a parliamentary democracy, has been alternately ruled by Hasina and Zia since
1991, but peaceful transfers of power have remained a major challenge.